


Rumored Nights

by Taimat



Series: Collegestuck [16]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-23
Updated: 2011-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-26 11:06:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/282330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taimat/pseuds/Taimat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Supremely uncool, Tavbro. Molestin' a guy in his sleep."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumored Nights

When he does return, Karkat is already there, blinking over at him from his desk.

And then the troll smiles at him…as much as he ever smiles.

John isn’t sure if it’s a thank you kind of smile, an apologetic kind of smile, or another kind of smile altogether, but he smiles back and waves like nothing’s wrong.

He showers immediately afterward, and as soon as he’s back, Karkat takes a turn. It’s like they’re avoiding each other all over again, and John doesn’t know what to do about it. While Karkat’s gone, John turns off all the lights except for Karkat’s desk lamp and crawls into bed facing the wall.

He isn’t sure where they stand.

He isn’t sure where Karkat and Sollux stand.

After Karkat had friendzoned him, John had promised himself that he’d keep things that way until Karkat changed his mind. Until John knew that he wasn’t going to drive the other boy away.

But then this happened. What does it mean? Has he lost Karkat for good?

The human tries to will himself to sleep so that he won’t have to deal with Karkat’s decision until the morning. And even if Karkat does choose… What if…it’s not the same?

Blue eyes are shut tightly against the near-dark when the door creaks open, and John can hear soft footsteps move across the rug between their beds. Karkat puts his things away and towels his hair off, as usual, and John doesn’t even have to see him to know that he’s making sure he has everything in order for the next morning. Setting his alarm, laying out the books he’ll need, turning off the lamp…and when the movement stops, so does John’s breath.

There is no noise in the room, but John can feel Karkat standing nearby. It’s not disturbing or uncomfortable or any other adjective that would normally be associated with someone else staring like mad. Instead, it’s a warmth that John craves. He wants to be closer. He wants Karkat next to him. In bed with him. Breathing into his neck—

“John?” Karkat’s voice is soft and airy, like he half doesn’t want it to be heard.

John rolls over, and even with only the faint glow of the lights outside through the blinds he can see the uncertainty in Karkat’s eyes. They don’t say anything for a while, staring at each other, and Karkat shifts his weight from socked foot to socked foot. He’s drowning in his oversized pajamas, just like always, and the familiarity of it makes John sigh.

“Can I, um… Is it still okay if…”

Were the light better, John wonders if he could see Karkat blushing, but he takes heart in the fact that the troll seems as uncomfortable as he feels himself. He must mean a lot to Karkat, if he’s this concerned, right?

John flings back one corner of his blanket, nodding to Karkat, and the relief and happiness emanating from him at the gesture is nearly palpable.

“It’s really okay?”

John snorts. “Get in, you moron.”

Karkat smiles at that, and then he’s sliding between the covers, hitting the mattress on his hands and knees and kind of shimmying down. And then they’re face to face, mere inches apart, but it doesn’t feel crowded or cramped.

“So…how’s Sollux?”

The troll tenses and looks away, and John’s stomach drops.

“It’s okay if—” _(If you’re dating now. If he’s more important to you. If I can’t have you anymore.)_

“I’m sorry.”

“…what?”

“I’m sorry for what he said. Earlier. We weren’t, um, sexiling you.” Karkat’s eyes are closed, like he has to focus entirely upon what he’s saying. “He shouldn’t have said that.”

“Karkat, if—”

“We’re not like that.” His eyelids lift slowly, and John can see the earnestness there. How much Karkat wants John to believe him. “That’s not our relationship.”

Taken slightly aback by the seriousness of the statement, John smiles a little and reaches up to tug the sheets over Karkat’s shoulder, for lack of anything else to do.

“Okay.”

After John’s ready acquiescence, Karkat looks like he’s not sure what else to say, so he huffs and nuzzles into the pillow.

“We’re good, Karkat. Don’t worry so much!” _(Maybe you should try taking some of your own advice.)_ “Sheesh, it’s not like I was jealous or anything. It was just kind of weird. But only because I hadn’t known! I mean, it doesn’t matter now, since there wasn’t anything to know, but—”

“Okay.” Karkat looks up at him through his lashes, and the sight makes John’s throat tighten, words stopping short.

“So, uh, class tomorrow.” John nudges at Karkat’s feet with his own, and Karkat smirks and nudges back.

Neither comments when their feet tangle together and stay there. Like they do every night. This is all as it should be.

Later, when Karkat’s breathing has evened out and John is lying in bed thinking, and maybe staring just a little bit _(because has Karkat always been this attractive?)_ , the troll makes that soft chirruping noise. John still doesn’t know why he does that, or what it means for trolls, but he knows that it makes his insides twist up. Makes comforting Karkat the only thing on his mind. And he can’t do anything else but reach out and pull the troll close. His nubby horns fit easily underneath John’s jaw, and he’s warm and solid where their bodies press together, John’s arm around Karkat’s back.

Karkat purrs deep in his throat, and even though he’s not a troll, John knows that’s a happy noise. And he’s glad to be the one causing it.

  
~~~~~~~

  
Dave shifts, jerking awake from the press of heat against his back. He’s quite confused, since…yes, he’s in his bed. He remembers crawling into it after the millionth round of Mario Kart 64, and Tavros definitely went into his recuperacoon…

A clawed hand skates down between his legs, and okay, just because he’s hard doesn’t mean he’s _necessarily_ interested in sex.

 _Oh, shut up._

Dave’s throat goes dry, and yeah, they haven’t done this in a few days. He’s totally good to go.

“Supremely uncool, Tavbro. Molestin’ a guy in his sleep.”

Tavros pauses behind him, not backing off, but not continuing, either. Interesting. Maybe Tavros is learning to read him better. Maybe he’s becoming more sure of himself.

“But you were making those noises you make when, um, when you want me inside you.”

Dave growls, and his dick twitches in his pajama pants.

“Okay, I’ve changed my mind, and that’s really fucking hot, and get the fuck inside me right fucking now.”

“You sound, like Karkat.” Tavros has a smirk in his voice, and Dave rolls his eyes and curls an arm back so he can grab onto one horn and make Tavros growl, too.

“Don’t really wanna think about you banging John’s crushbuddy.”

“G-got it. Dave, you, don’t—” He trails off as Dave strokes up to the tip of that horn, rocking backward and grinding against Tavros’ hips.

“I believe I gave you an order, Nitram.”

“But, uh, i-isn’t, _Dave_ …” Dave lets go and cuts him some slack. “Isn’t it uncool?”

“Only uncool if the other guy doesn’t want it, and you said it yourself. I want it. So fuck me already.”

“But—”

Dave rolls his eyes again and grabs at Tavros’ unmoving hand, quickly fixing the problem and guiding it into action. He shudders.

“I keep telling you. That’s what this means. My body says yes. My mind says yes. We’re all in perfect unison, here. You’re being a right gentleman about it.”

The human tries to tug down his pants and haul Tavros on top of him at the same time, and the troll laughs despite the insistent hand on his horn, pressing Dave into the mattress and coaxing a low moan out of him.

 _But what if your heart doesn’t say yes?_

 _Oh, shut up._


End file.
